


Details

by Kiss_Me_Im_Pie



Category: Game Grumps
Genre: Alternate Universe - 1920s, Attack, Character with PTSD, Established Relationship, Flashbacks, Homophobia, Internalized Homophobia, Mentions of World War One, Multi, One Use of the 'F' Word With a Non-Homophobic Context, Polyamory, Prostitution
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-21
Updated: 2017-11-21
Packaged: 2019-02-05 04:50:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,126
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12787329
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kiss_Me_Im_Pie/pseuds/Kiss_Me_Im_Pie
Summary: It was the era of short skirts and bright lights, of having to sneak around at night just for a bottle of booze. It was the years of more money and new dances, the years of racism running rampant through the streets. When people don't quite fit the moulds they've been given, how far will they go just to be given their fair chance at life? They weren't called The Golden Years for nothing, but not everyone got to live that life.





	Details

**Author's Note:**

> Okay - this was supposed to be by Game Grumps Big Bang 2017 submission but due to personal reasons I did not finish/upload it on time. I have finally gathered enough confidence to finish what I started, and so here we are. Better late than never I suppose, I'm very proud of this.  
> Also: @mother-ape-ass (Tumblr) drew some amazing pictures to go with this fic and @Novaspeaks (also Tumblr) made a kick-ass mix. This situation hasn't been fair on either of them so I would really appreciate it if you could go and check their stuff out.

**_1919_ **

If you asked Leigh Daniel Avidan what he was afraid of, he would more than likely answer back with simply: nothing.

It wasn’t that he was some hypo-masculine, hard boiled man – all height and muscles, a pure epitome of Great War veterans. While Dan had the height, his lanky frame betrayed any form of intimidation he may have otherwise held – and that was how he liked it. He had never wanted to be a soldier, had never wanted to fight anyone and had most certainly never wanted to kill anyone. But things happen, and what he may or may not have done in his time overseas was none of anyone else’s beeswax.

No, it wasn’t that Dan wasn’t afraid of anything – hard pressed he would perhaps admit to an extreme dislike of the ocean. But simply enough, it’s quite hard to fear things deemed trivial when you’ve seen the world be ripped apart by its own inhabitants.

But that…that was behind him.

“Barry, hold up!”

The man in question was stood down the bottom of the apartment stairs lighting his cigarette. He smiled at Dan, offering his lighter when he approached. Dan nodded his thanks and took the contraption, lighting one of his own cigarettes. He looked out on the town as his breathed in the bitter smoke, comfortable silence sweeping between the two men. Despite their ten-year age difference, they had become fast friends – living in the same apartment block, working in the same factory, spending much of their free time together. That day was no different. They stamped out their tobacco rolls and carried on their way.

It was little after five in the afternoon, the sky already darkening into November midnight. They had changed out of their factory coveralls and into their casual wear – simple trousers and button-down shirts, with Dan sporting a newsboy cap to keep whatever curls he couldn’t tie back in check. Everyone was coming out of their work shifts and continuing on to their Friday evening activities – the two of them included. Coveralls, top hats and knee-length skirts filled the streets as people revelled in the evening light, desperate to start their weekend as soon as possible.

The two of them walked up to their usual establishment, a small building simply with large letters on the front reading ‘DINER’ and a handwritten note stuck to one of the windows about their cheesecake. It would be easy to miss the building, surrounded by more well-known restaurants and shops. The inside wasn’t too much to behold either – black and white chequered floor and white walls, white booths and black barstools, but for Dan and Barry it was one of the best places to go.

“Barry, Dan, good to see you!” A young woman approached them, bright blue eyes and her dark brown hair cut ever so slightly longer than the current trend called for. Her black dress fell a couple inches below her knees with a white apron tied around her, white low heels to match and a plastic curve-shaped hat pushing her fringe out of her eyes.

“Afternoon, Holly.” Dan tipped his hat slightly before taking it off and placing it on the hat stand near the door. “How’s business?”

“Oh it’s swell.” She replied, leading them to a table. “Enough folks to keep this place afloat but not too many that Ross and I are running everywhere.” She pulled her pencil and pad out of her apron and smiled at the two of them. “You both having your usual?” When they both affirmed their choice, she gave them another smile and walked off to the kitchen.

Dan watched Barry’s eyes follow Holly as she walked through the door, his smile glowing as he glanced at the woman. Through the months that they had gotten to know each other, Dan would count himself pretty good at figuring out what Barry was thinking. Which is why he was able, without any doubt, to go ahead and just say to him, “B, you gotta drop that torch you’re holding for her.”

To his credit, Barry’s face didn’t turn red immediately. There was a good two second delay before his face bloomed in embarrassment, his body only allowing him to stutter out a quiet, “…w-what?”

“Come on, I’m not that out of it.” He looked upon his friend with pity and slight concern. “She loves Ross, you know that. And I know you, you would never do something to hurt someone else – ever.”

“I have absolutely no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Look Barry, I’m not gonna tell you how to live your life. Just don’t do anything stupid, alright?”

The younger of the two stared at his friend before sighing, his head falling into his hands. “Is it that obvious?”

“Yeah.” Dan’s smile turned comforting. “Look - I get why her, she’s one beautiful doll, ab-so-lute-ly.” He punched out each section of the word with sheer admiration for their female friend. “But it just won’t work out and people will end up hurt.”

Barry stared at the table for a few moments before sighing once more, looking up and nodding once. Dan smiled again at him, turning his head when the kitchen door opened. This time a man stepped out, tall and skinny with light brown hair just sweeping over his light blue eyes. His white shirt was tucked into black trousers, sleeves cuffed at the elbow, and his shoes as polished as they always seemed to be. He had a plate in each hand as he approached the table, the left plate shaking as much as the tremor in his hand always caused it to.

“Here you go fellas, two roast ducks. Those are the last two we’ve got.” The new man told them placing one plate in front of each of them, a sliver of an accent not-quite-gone slipping through.

“Thanks Ross, we’ll savour them then.” Dan laughed. He stabbed a piece with his fork and popped it in his mouth before closing his eyes in ecstasy. “Good God that’s good.”

Barry nodded along, adding in as he glanced at the other empty tables, “How are we the only ones here when the food is this good?”

“Because most people’s idea of a good night out is dancing and booze, not downing duck in random restaurants.” Ross teased, leaning against the table.

“Ross, leave them alone. You give them too much of an earful and they’ll stop coming. Then who’ll eat all of our ducks?” Holly called out as she exited the kitchen, her apron now untied and slung over one of her shoulders. She walked over to the front door of the diner and turned the sign to closed before turning back to join her friends.

As Holly slipped her right hand into Ross’s left, Dan was struck with a thought. When he had first noticed Ross’s hand shake, he had assumed that it was from the war. But since he had gotten to know the younger man, he now knew that Ross was only nineteen. That would make him fourteen when the war started and eighteen when it ended. He shouldn’t have been able to sign up (although Dan knew that it wasn’t always that black and white – hell, nearly a quarter of the boys in the high school near his home back in New Jersey had signed up back in 1917 and most of them wouldn’t have been eighteen yet). But no matter how his tremor had started, Dan had only seen his hand be still in one situation – in the soft hand of his girlfriend. Dan wasn’t sure what love really was, he had never been with a girl long enough to find out, but he was certain that this was its end goal.

But he had never been good with words, so instead of voicing his epiphany he simply laughed at Holly’s gentle jab and carried on eating.

***

After Ross and Holly cleaned the table and bid goodbye to their boss, the four set off for their apartment as it was much closer than the block where Dan and Barry lived. They idly chatted with one-another, spilling their laughter into the air like balloons left to simply fly. Their spirits remained high once they reached the ground floor apartment, all of them barrelling into the small hallway as soon as the door was unlocked. The couple made their way to their bedroom to get changed out of their work clothes and instructed their guests to make themselves at home. Only a few minutes passed before they made their way back downstairs, Ross dressed much akin to their guests and Holly in a simple purple gingham dress. The former grabbed a pack of cards off the bookshelf whilst the latter turned on the radio, briefly messing with the dial before stopping on a music station.

They sat in the living room with Dan and Holly squeezed onto the sofa and Ross and Barry sat on the floor, the coffee table stood between them. The only female began to shuffle and deal the cards, announcing the game of the night as poker as it was her turn to choose. This elicited a cheer from Dan who actually understood the rules and could play the game well, and simply smiles from the other two as Barry understood it, yet as wasn’t as proficient and Ross didn’t get the rules at all and would simply shove cards down hoping he’d somehow lucked out a win. They never gambled with anything, none of them really had any money they could afford to spare, but simply played for bragging rights – a much more valuable prize in all of their eyes.

The music swept through the atmosphere, becoming background noise to their cries of triumph and calls of ‘applesauce’. The smooth jazz, which had only just rolled into the music industry, carried through for another few minutes (by which point Holly had managed to bring herself up a good two points) until it slowly came to an end. A young man’s voice, arguably equally as smooth as music before it, came through the speakers.

_'Now that little number was ‘Someday Sweetheart’ by John Spikes. Beautiful piece – I should know, I put it on here. You gotta love this new beat coming our way, really is something alright. This next one is a little softer, good slab of blues for you. It’s ‘Baby won’t you please come home’ by Bessie Smith and it really is the cat’s meow. Enjoy.'_

“Horsefeathers!” Dan threw his cards down on the table as Ross smirked at him, his straight easily surpassing the older man’s two pair hand. The factory worker threw his hands in the air, “How are you both so good but so terrible at the same time?”

“Mate,” His foreign friend laughed, “I’m just as rattled as you are – but trust me, I ain’t complaining.”

The other two shared a laugh, their eyes connecting for a minute in exasperation for their friends. Barry admittedly kept eye contact for longer than he probably should be but forced his eyes away before long.  _‘She’s dating Ross,’_  he reminded himself,  _‘your good friend Ross who you don’t want to hurt. This can’t go anywhere, just stop looking at her.’_  But his eyes slip upwards once more, catching his friend in the ending of her laugh. Her eyes shone and skin glowed, only giving Barry more reason to fall for her. He was in deep, drowning in his emotions with nowhere to breathe.

“Barry.” His head snapped up to look at Dan, who was staring at him with a certain, almost familiar, look on his face. “You gonna call, raise or fold?”

Barry felt Dan’s eyes still on him as he looked down at his cards, realising that he hadn’t actually looked at his deck. Nothing jumped out at him, no pairs to stick together or a pattern to follow. He simply shook his head and placed his cards back on the coffee table, wondering how cards had somehow become an analogy for his life.

***

There wasn't much variation in the four friends' lives - 'wake up, work, eat, sleep' generally covered the extent of their daily activities. However, every so often they liked to broaden their horizons with a trip to watch one of the new movies or a baseball game. That day, though, Ross had other ideas.

"Come on, it'll be fun!" He grinned broadly at his partner and friends, all of whom were looking at him sceptically. 

"Seems more like a sure-fire way to get arrested. Won't you get deported if you're arrested?" Barry raised an eyebrow.

"We'll be fine, I heard a group talk about this place at the diner and chatted them about it. It's completely fine."

"Fine," Dan replied, "we'll go. But if we get the bull called on us then I'm hauling you back to Australia myself."

Ross smirked back at him. "Whatever you say."

They exchanged jabs and laughs as they carried on down the street in their group. Barry and Ross had bundledthemselves in Mackinaw coats to protect themselves from the uncharacteristically cold weather (Dan and Holly had already teased both of them for complaining) and were pulling on them even tighter as the evening air set in and the wind picked up. Holly had linked her arm around her boyfriend’s, her free appendage single-handedly keeping her dress from flying up. Nevertheless, laughs still resonated within their conversation as Dan flew into a story around his childhood (one of these days the rest of them must meet his sister, he had decided, Lord knew that they had already heard enough about her) until Ross stopped them outside a small bricked building. The windows had been boarded over on the outside and covered with something, currently untellable, on the inside. The Australian smiled back at his friends before turning to face the door and knocking three times. The door opened a crack, enough so that the group could see two eyes peer out amongst the darkness encasing the inside of the establishment.

"Name." It wasn't a question.

The other three noticeably balked at the rough tone but Ross remained unpassed as he answered, "O'Donovan."

The door slammed shut as quickly as it had opened, this time noticeably startling all of the friends, before re-opening once more. The set of eyes were now set on the body of a tall man, his stare holding all of theirs simultaneously as he stepped to the side and let them through.

The outside of the building did not do justice for the inner decor. What was clearly once a popular bar (before the Volstead Act, of course - regulating their alcohol was no good for anyone as far as the group were concerned) still remained. The wall where the main door was had been painted white but the other three had been left with their original brick. Tables and chairs littered the floor with no particular order, people just moved them all to suit their fancy. Quite a few people had rocked up, Ross and Holly could even recognise a few as customers from the diner as the group walked up to the bar. Ordering their drinks (the barman had convinced them to try some gin, which was coming into popularity - Dan had stuck to his water) they sat down on the barstools, eager to drink in the evening activities. As Holly began to spin into a short childhood tale, Dan caught a flash of black in the corner of his eye and turned his head. The flash had turned out to be a dress, cut sharply at the knees to reveal a nice pair of gams - if he did say so himself. Short brown hair that stopped directly at the ears framed a face much too young for Dan's eyes but still she smiled at his not-so-subtle staring. 

"Hello,"  _'When did she get here? Was I **that**  concentrated?' _"you're a nice-looking bimbo - aren't ya?"

Dan gaped at her, he hadn't been called attractive by a random woman since high school. This woman, she looking like she  _was_ in high school.

Nevertheless, she continued, "How about we go out and find a good whoopee spot? Just you and me? I’ll make it worth your dime.”

So  _that_ was her aim. Dan had never been one for streetwalkers and didn’t plan on stopping that now. “I’m good, thanks.”

“You sure? Enough cash and I could give you a good night all round.” The longer he spoke to her, the more he began to notice small things about her – the light shine in her eyes, the slight southern drawl that she clearly hadn’t shook off yet, the edge of a tattoo sticking out of the top of her dress.

“I’m sure, everything’s jake over here ma’am.”

Much to his surprise, instead of walking away and trying her luck somewhere else, the young woman sighed and sat down in the empty seat next to Dan. She brought over the bartender and asked for a Jorum of skee (the bartender brought over a shot of whisky – Dan had to wonder what kind of place Ross had brought them to where someone who  _clearly wasn’t_  of age could just get a drink with no questions asked).

“Umm, ma’am, are you alright?” Dan had never claimed to be all that great at comforting people.

The lady in question threw back her drink, wincing at the sharp tang that followed before turning to her attempted john. “Look at me, I’m pathetic. Get some random guy, exchange some cash and make a buck or two – this isn’t how I want to live my life!” She placed the shot glass down harder than needed, causing a small crash the gained the attention of the others in the small group.

Dan looked and them and then back to the young lady. Her and Barry couldn’t be that far apart in age, and Holly had been complaining recently that she had no one to understand her woes (Ross tried his hardest, he really did, but some things were too private even for their relationship). “You can stay around us, if you want. Get a change of scenery, you know?”

The woman looked at Dan for a few moments, her brows furrowed in a mixture of shock and confusion, before switching her gaze to the other three. Despite barely noticing her until her small outburst they all looked at her with kind looks. They really didn’t mind her joining in. She smiled and looked back to her curly-haired helper.

He took this as a yes and smiled back even wider, “Fantastic! Trust me, you won’t regret it. This night’ll be the bee’s knees – you’ll see miss…umm…” Dan faltered, his cheeks flushing slightly, “sorry, I don’t think I caught your name.”

The lady’s smile grew. “Suzy,” she replied, the shine in her eyes as bright as ever, “Suzy Berhow.”

***

This was Arin’s favourite time of the day, hands down. Long before most of the population had even stirred in their beds, when the sun was still down and the birds still sleeping. Stars still stone just as bright, reflecting in the headlights of the odd car that sped down the road. A small breeze blew through the air, rustling the barren branches that had long been void of any leaves – red, orange, green or otherwise.

Yes, nothing else in Arin’s mind could compare to his morning walks to work.

Since the exit from his apartment, he had been the only person on the pavement, with every other person he had seen being behind a wheel. But once he got closer to his work, only a few blocks away, he spotted a group of women. Short dresses and bright lips stood out even in the darkness of the morning. He allowed himself a quick glance as he continued walking - a little curiosity had never hurt anyone.

But Jesus...

_...sweet Jesus..._

In the middle of the women, laughing with what Arin could only assume was a friend of hers, stood a woman like no other he had ever seen. He hair framed a face too pretty for any picture he could imagine, her dress hugging her slim figure just right. He found himself slowing subconsciously, savouring every look at her as he continued to walk along. But before too long the women had walked off in their group and out of his eyesight, taking the beauty of a doll with them.

Arin thought with himself. Part of him wished nothing more than to turn around and run after the group, to ask for the woman's name and to find out who she really was. But the rest of him, the rational part - he realised, knew that he had gotten this job through sheer luck. Dropping out of high school and moving to a whole new state was surely an easy ticket to homelessness and a longing to return to his family's farm. But he had found himself in the right place at the right time, and his voice had scored him the position as a host on a radio channel. There weren't many of those around, but Arin knew it was the perfect job for him. It paid amazingly and he was able to showcase the expertise of his voice with each and every word he spoke. He had to be on time every day so they had absolutely no reason to even think of firing him. So he willed his legs to continue moving forwards and tried to push the woman's face to the back of his mind.

***

For every year that he could remember, the December holidays had never been too much of a big deal for Dan. Sure, Hanukkah was pretty cool and he always loved being able to see his family but having people constantly go on about Christmas had been a tough spot for him that had never really gone away. This year, however, was the start of something new.

Prices for trains back to New Jersey were at a record high, and with him lacking a car of his own he had no way to get back home in time for the New Years. He'd already spent a large portion of his money getting back just a week earlier. Ross and Holly had come to his rescue, however, and had opened up their home to him. Barry had also decided to join them, agreeing with his family that since he'd already been with them for Hanukkah it was fine for him to spend New Year’s with his best friends. The four of them had splashed out on some wine bought from the same place that they'd been to around a month before, had turned on the radio to their favourite channel and gathered in the living room in a semi-circle around the clock. Each of them counted down the minutes until midnight as they listened to the various Christmas songs being played on the channel.

"Holly, cool it with the wine." Dan advised with a small laugh. "You'll be half-seas over before you know it."

"I'll have you know I can handle my alcohol much better than you think." She quipped as she took another sip, rousing a laugh out of the group.

_'That was, of course, silent night. A beautiful classic, ladies and gentlemen, I'm sure you'll all agree. Last year marked one hundred years since it was composed by Franz Grubber - how about that folks?'_

"Barry, pass a fag, will you?" Ross asked, nodding his head in thanks when his friend passed over the cigarette. He lit it and breathed in the bitter smoke.

_'And we're just coming up on our New Year’s countdown. 1920, here we come in ten...nine...eight...'_

"Six...five...four..." The group echoed together, eyes glued onto the ticking second hand, "three...two...one!" A cheer rang out in the apartment as all four rose from their seats, clanking their wine glasses together in celebration.

Yes, Dan was certain, this year would be something new.

***

**_1920_ **

By the afternoon of the 2nd day in January, spirits were still high throughout the four friend's lives. The manager of the diner had given Ross and Holly the first two days of the month off - simply asking them to come back with high hopes and large smiles. The wine had been packed away into a cupboard hidden behind a selection of specially placed food cans and the radio had been turned down until it was simply background noise. The friends were still in the living room, though had each changed into a new, fresh set of clothes. The cards once again lay on the table with Barry having called the game as blackjack. So far Dan had pushed himself into the lead, and managed to continue to hold his position by throwing down his hand - twenty-one, no more and no less, eliciting groans from the others in the room.

"Really Dan, could you not go a little bit easier on us?" Barry questioned, raising his eyebrow ever so slightly.

"Maybe one day," Their taller friend replied as Holly dealt out a new hand to each of them, "but not today."

Ross smirked at him, his right hand clutching his cards. "Well maybe someone should take you down a peg then. Hols, deal me a card would you?"

"Phonus balonus!" Dan called back with a laugh. "Deal me in one too please, I'm about to sweep you all away."

"Umm...I'll just take another card please." Barry tipped his head in thanks upon receiving his card.

Holly laughed at their antics, shaking her head slightly. "Don't you two think you're taking this a bi-"

A large crash echoed throughout the room, shaking the foundations with the ferocity of the force used. The four friends looked at each other, shock and fear etched onto each of their faces. Another bang sounded throughout, louder this time, followed immediately by the sound of the apartment door crashing open into the wall behind it. Dan, who had been sat on the floor closest to the door, jumped up - automatically placing himself between the ongoing commotion and his friends.

Through the door pushed many policemen, at least half a dozen easily. Stood at the front of the group was a man, stood firmer in his position that the rest. He scanned over the friends, judging each of then silently, until his eyes came to rest on Ross.

"That's him," He stated, keeping eye contact with the other man, "take him in."

The policemen all moved at one in a clearly practiced, and more than likely previously played out formation. Two of them dragged Ross from his seat on the couch before another two helped to shove his face into the piece of furniture. The fifth man pulled his arms back, twisting them both into almost unimaginable levels of contortion whilst a final participant trapped Ross's hands in a vice grip of his own. Ross called out a short yell of surprise and undoubted pain as he was jerked from his position.

Dan and Barry too let out cries, though of protest instead, as the shorter male joined his friend in standing up, both effectively, but not purposely, sheltering Holly from any further attack. The waitress herself simply sat frozen to her spot on the couch, too shocked to do anything but stare with her hand clasped over her mouth.

"What the heck!" Barry began to shout, the strength of his voice clashing with his characteristically positive and subdued attitude.

"Immigration." The only reply he received was spoken by the man holding Ross's hands, his face stone cold to the violation of rights.

"Wait," Holly jumped up now, reaching a hand towards her boyfriend, "why are you-"

But the men had already bundled Ross out of their home. The friends quickly followed them, chests heaving with more than just being out of breath, but by the time they had made it outside their friend had already been bundled into a police car, the back slamming shut as they drove off - with Ross trapped inside.

***

It was amazing, Holly had decided, the duality of humanity. How some people could be so bigoted, so blinded by their own agenda to see any truth, whilst others could be so understanding and open. Her boss, for example, fell firmly into the latter category for after finding out about Ross's arrest, he had not fired the man nor Holly. In fact, he had given Holly several more days off to help quell her shock and fear at the prospect of maybe never seeing the Australian ever again.

In the week since his disappearance, the remaining three friends had tried everything in their power to get him back. Through asking various people around the city, they had managed to find out where Ross was being held - an immigration holding facility near the coast. According to the whispers they had been able to get from the town, some of the people who had been arrested on the same night as him had already been deported. Time was of the essence, but everything seemed to be against them. When they had gone to get their friend out, each of them had been rejected either for being his partner and therefore being too close to the 'criminal' or for being simply not Christian. When Dan and Barry had been identified as Jewish, the control officer had laughed in their face.

They were getting desperate, and Dan had figured out their last chance.

Trying to find the bar proved a lot more difficult without Ross's guidance, but with a lot of patience (and a bit of luck) they managed to find themselves once again at the run down building. Upon repeating the secret knock they were let in automatically by the burly security guard, who offered his apologies or the situation they'd found themselves in. It seemed to be a recurring theme that night as several people who recognised them came up to them to offer their condolences. But Dan only had one person on his mind. Scanning the area, he found her sat in the corner with her make-up still done up to the nines - Suzy.

The young woman looked up at them as they approached and smiled, placing the wine she had been nursing back on the table. "Why, hello again!"

"Hello Suzy," Dan greeted, "I wish I could say we had come simply for a night out."

Suzy's smile turned starched. "I assume this is about your friend. I've heard a lot about him from others."

"Can you help?" Barry asked. "Every time we've gone to ask we've been denied either for being his girlfriend or for our religion."

"You're not Christian?" Suzy raised an eyebrow.

"No." Dan's voice turned firm, his mouth pressed into a line. "Barry and I are Jewish. Is that a problem?"

Suzy smiled openly and sincerely. "No problem here - and I know a way to help your friend. I can't pick him up myself, the police know I'm a streetwalker so they'd never give him over to me. But I have a friend who'll help us."

"How do you know?" Holly asked, her voice softer than it had been.

"I just do. Come back tomorrow night and he'll be able to help." She looked at the three of them. "Just trust me."

***

The next night the three of them returned as promised, each being let through the door of the secret bar just as easily as before. Luckily they weren't bombarded again upon their entry - none of them really had the energy for that. But they did manage to spot their young friend, once again sat in the corner, talking to a man who was also sat at her table. They walked over, each trying to make their own judgements about Suzy's 'friend'. He was much older than her, quite possibly older than Danny, with frown lines already starting to make their appearance on his forehead while the start of a beard had attached itself to the lower half of his face. His arms, though covered by his shirt, were clearly muscular and toned and his nails had a layer of black underneath them that he obviously hadn't been able to scrub out.

"There they are!" Suzy snapped the three from their respective thoughts. She stood up and stretched out her arms at the incoming group invitingly. "I want you all to meet Brian Wecht. He's the person I was telling you about yesterday." The man in question raised one of his hands in greeting, his other keeping a tight grip on his drink.

The three friends sat down with Suzy at the table, with Barry dragging over another chair to allow everyone their own. Holly looked the new man in the eyes and asked him, "So you can help us?"

"Suzy updated me on most of the situation." Brian ran a hand through his hair - despite not looking a day out of his thirties he already had a few grey strands poking through his natural brown. He turned his attention from the group back to Holly individually. "This Ross, he's your partner - correct?"

"Yes, he is." Her voice shook ever so slightly. "Please can you help us? Ross wouldn't hurt anyone, he's one of the kindest people I've ever met and-"

"So I've heard from others, his record precedes him. I've asked at least a dozen people in here and no one that recognised him had a bad word to say." Brian took a slug of his drink, some dark liquid that was more than likely someone's homemade attempt at beer. "Of course I'll help."

"Thank you so much sir." Barry started, moving to shake the other man's hand as Holly's own moved to cover her mouth.

"No skin off my shoulders, don't worry about a thing." Their new friend dismissed. "Just tell me where this facility is, and your friend will be out before the night is over."

***

The cold wind nipped against the group's skin as they waited by the harbour, the only jacket between them (Barry's) going to Holly, since she had only her cotton dress to keep her warm. She thanked him once more and he told her, once more, that it was no problem. Dan breathed another sigh for his too-deep friend.

Footsteps rocked them all from their concentration, bringing their attention back to the situation at hand. Brian, posture straight and face closed off, walked out of the immigration facility. His right arm was wrapped around Ross's waist, holding him up and keeping him from falling. He played the perfect role of the concerned friend, despite the duo having never met before. Ross on the other hand...

Ross...

The skin just below his eye had bruised. The black and blue mark had continued to travel across his face and over to the bridge of his nose. Dried blood from an injury occurring not too long ago had congregated on the end of his nostrils and a section of his dirty blonde hair had become stuck to his head, matted together with the red liquid.

The friends all doubted that Ross was putting any part of his limping and shakiness on. If he was, then it couldn't have been much exaggerated from the truth.

Holly ran forward, her low heels clipping against the cobbled pavement. No words the spoken, just a hesitant hand reaching up to touch the face of a man too nearly gone from their lives. She threw herself into a hug, and if Ross was put through any more pain because of it then he did not show it. He simply pressed his tender face into his beloved's neck and reached his left hand around, the shaking still not quelling even after gripping the fabric of her dress.

No words were spoken. None needed to be, everything that could be said could be felt in the air. But Danny caught Brian's eyes, the soft brown meeting the ice blue, and nodded his thanks. Brian nodded back before looking up to stare at the night sky, the only noises heard being the quiet sniffles of one of the couple.

***

Of all the things that were counted as sins, Holly wracked her brain for any instance of someone states that not going to church  _every_  week was one. The only named sins that came to her mind were the 10 commandments, and she knew that "Thou shalt not skip Sunday communion" was most  _certainly_  not one of them.

She sent a quick message up, asking for forgiveness. She knew that she'd be look down on by some of the others goers in her street, but Ross was in no situation where he could leave the bed, never mind sit in a pew for several hours.

Besides, Jesus had said  _'Love the neighbour.'_ And their neighbours had certainly not loved Ross.

The man in question stirred in their bed. Holly was sat in the armchair in the corner, a book held firmly in her hands, when she saw her partner try to lift the sheets.

"No, no, no." She chided, getting up and smoothing the duvet back down. "You're staying right here."

"But Hols, we have to go to church, and get ready for work tomorrow and-"

"Church can wait. Work can wait. Everything else can wait until you feel one-hundred percent better, okay?" She smiled at him, running a few fingers through the front of his hair. She had run a bath for him the night before, after all of their other friends had left. With some care and patience, she had gotten all of the blood off his face and out of his hair. His eye still bloomed in an array of black and blue but the rest of his face seemed quite civil in comparison.

"Holly-"

"No buts. You are staying right here until you feel like a million bucks, alright?" She smiled at him, all love and no teeth.

"But-"

"Come on Ross, listen to her. Don't take any wooden nickels after all that, alright?"

Barry stood at the bedroom door, the top button of his shirt undone to try and combat the unnaturally hot weather.

"Barry?" Ross pushed himself up into his elbows despite Holly's tutting. "What are you doing here?"

"I asked for his help." Ross turned back to his girlfriend. "I knew that trying to get you to stay still would be quite a challenge so I thought I'd bring in some reinforcements."

"But I can't just stay here, I have to-"

"The only thing that you, Ross O'Donovan, have to do is stay in bed." Holly's expression softened and she grabbed her boyfriend's trembling hand. "You're safe with us, Ross, I promise."

"We won't let anything happen to you - none of us will." Barry iterated, nodding in agreement to his friend's statement. He sat down on the bed across from her and smiled at their friend.

Ross sighed, but turned over in the bed so his head was back against the pillow. He closed his eyes, his hand still gripping tightly to Holly's own - still shaking.

***

Ever since he had left New Jersey, Dan hadn't had any friend's his own age. As much as he loved the friends he did have Holly, who was the oldest of the other four, would be turning twenty-one that year - still seven years his junior. Brian, on the other hand, had turned out to be four years older than him. He intrigued Dan, his cold demeanour yet willing attitude, shut off eyes yet open ears. It confused him yet also made him want to meet him again. So after asking Suzy a few questions (and answering a few of her own), he had been able to get Brian's address from her.

What he didn't think about was what he should say once the other man opened the door.

Yeah...that would've been a smart idea.

Brian blinked at him once, slowly raising an eyebrow. "Umm..."

"I, um, got your address from Suzy."  _Smooth, Dan, smooth..._

"Okay, but-"

"I just came over to ask if you wanted to...walk...or something...?"

"Umm-"

"You don't have to, obviously, I mean be basically don't know each other but I was thinking maybe we could-"

"Dan."

The lanky man looked at the other, having averted his eyes for the better part of the conversation. "Yes?"

"Let me put my shoes on, and then I'll be outside, alright?"

Dan smiled. "Alright."

Neither of them really had any idea of where they wanted to go. They essentially ended up wondering about the area, caught up in the comfortable silence. It wasn't until at least ten minutes later that they both saw a familiar face. 

"Suzy!" Brian called out first, greeting her with a slight bow as Dan tipped his hat.

"Evening gentlemen. Out for a stroll?"

"That we are, Suzy, would you care to join us?" Brian answered.

"Afraid I can't, I'm trying to get some midnight dosh, you know." She gestured to the street where several others were still walking. Down the end of the street they were stood on she spotted a man. Tall, hair tied back, not too muscled (and therefore impossible to lie on) but still very attractive. He turned around briefly, and Suzy could now spot his face and how his beard framed his mouth and the curve of his lips. Briefly, ever so briefly, his eyes met hers and she darted hers away, hoping that the makeup would be enough to cover her blush.

***

Barry wouldn't necessarily call himself an avid reader but he didn't hate it either. There was always something kind of satisfying about being able to close the pages knowing that you had concurred it. At that point he had settled himself Ito the armchair in the corner of Ross and Holly's bedroom and was attempting to get through  _'The Reign of Law'_ without much success. The plot hadn't really managed to grip him, but Dan had bought it for him for Hanukkah and he felt bad about just letting it collect dust - so he carried on though, though several things had distracted him. First it had been a tapping against the window - a breeze, then it had been the shadow on the wall as the sun set. Then it had been Ross twitching in his sleep. Then groaning. Then grasping the sheet in his hands, a quiet gasp coming out.

Barry looked up.

Ross's brows were furrowed and his mouth was open in what looked like a silent scream. He had kicked up the sheets a bit at the foot of the bed, his knuckles beginning to turn white from the strength of his hold on the covers. Barry got up immediately, quickly making his way over to his friend. Carefully he placed a hand on Ross's shoulder and shook him.

"Ross, Ross." He raised his volume. "Ross, wake up."

Ross startled awake and his hands flew from the sheets, clutching at an imaginary foe in an apparent last ditch for survival.

"Ross, are you alright?" Barry asked. Coming out of his moth, it seemed more of a stupid question.

His friend's face was pale and he kept on staring in front of him where the person he was apparently trying to save himself from would have been.

"Ross?"

"You weren't in the war, were you Barry?"

Barry blinked. He had been born in 1902 and would be celebrating his eighteenth birthday that year. His older brother Alex had managed to get out of the draft by going to college, so his family had managed to escape the heartbreak and fear that many others had to endure. "Umm - no, no, I didn't."

"I was. Joined up with a few mates from school back in 1916. We were fifteen, sixteen. Kids, basically, but they were running low on volunteers and didn't want to run conscription so they basically took anyone as long as they said they were over eighteen."

"You fought in the war?" Barry's eyes were wide.

If Ross heard the question he didn't make an indication of it. "My mum cried when she found out, you know." He was looking at the ceiling, still lying down. "Dad didn't really say anything, I could tell he was angry though. My sister half throttled me." He covered his eyes with his still shaking hand. "What were we thinking?"

"You wanted to help your country." Barry offered. "You wanted to help."

"Who did we really help though? My mates are dead and I nearly joined them." Upon seeing Barry's shocked face he elaborated further. "Shot in the shoulder, right one. Didn't really do any lasting damage but it did give me this bloody tremor." His hand was shaking more than Barry has ever seen it before.

He placed his own over it. "Is that what your dream was about?"

"Yes. It felt the same and looked the same, but instead a Hun came out from the side and kept shooting me. I tried to get up and run but I couldn't and he came up to my face and I couldn't move at all anymore and then he grabbed me and shot me and-" He took a sharp breath in.

Barry was silent for a minute, just waiting for Ross to get his breath under control. His voice was much quieter when he asked, "What actually happened? In real life, I mean."

Ross smiled ever so slightly, the corners of his mouth turning. "I was taken away by the medics and treated. Hospital was filthy, they didn't have much to work with, you know. But then this young nurse came up and started to clean up my blood. Just smiled at me and said it was gonna be okay. That she was a nineteen-year-old volunteer from America and that the doctors and other nurses knew what they were doing. And I began to believe her, and it all came true."

"What came of her? Did you get her name?" Barry, too, was smiling.

"Yeah." Ross looked at him. "Holly."

The room became silent with indescribable tension. Slowly Barry took his hand off of Ross's and stood up. "You'll probably want to get to sleep, I'll leave you-"

"No!" The sudden strength in his friend's voice stopped him. Ross cheeks darkened. "I mean, can you...can you stay with me? Just to check I don't do it again?"

"I can try." Barry say back down on the bed and Ross got himself comfortable. As the older man slowly drifted back off to sleep, Barry's eyes too began to drop. By the time that they were both dozing on the Bed, Barry's hand had found its way back to Ross's now stationary hand.

***

In Suzy's eyes, a John was a John. Beggars can't be choosers - it was simply down to the luck of the day. Sometimes she got gentlemen who simply had been lonely for too long, sometimes she got shyer ones who wanted to lose what was often lost long before and sometimes she got the animals out of their cages. The ones that ravaged her like meet, like something to have something taking out of rather than a body of nerves and feelings.

But money was money, so a John was a John.

That day, however, seemed to be her day.

The man from the road was back. His previously tied hair had now been let free to brush his shoulders and his jacket lay over his shoulder yet he still walked with the confidence of a three-piece suit gentleman. His eyes were darting around as if he was trying not to let her stare at him. Or maybe to check if anyone else was staring.

"Hello." He said to her, his voice crisp and taut.

"Hello there. You here for a night?" She raised her eye at him, putting her leg forward in a way that would allow her shirt to ride up her leg - it wasn't her first rodeo. 

"Umm..." He looked behind him for a moment as if someone who knew him would jump out at a second’s notice. "Yes, I suppose I am."

"Alright, it's $5 an hour. Though...I am willing to give you a few hours for free. You..." She moved closer to him face, "interest me."

"Oh." His face turned pink, flashing up quite well.

She walked a bit ahead of him, turning back after a few moments. "Let's go to your house then."

Arin walked up to her and moved so he was a few paces in front of her, leading the way back to his own house. The resulting walk was intense silence. Arin could feel the woman's eyes on him but did not want to turn back.

They got back to Arin's home in a shorter amount of time than it had ever taken him before. He unlocked his door and let her inside. He toed off his shoes, watching as she did the same to her heels, before leading her upstairs to his own room. The minute that Arin shut the door he grabbed the lady and pressed her against the wall. Her eyes widened and watched as his own scanned her every detail. He leaned forward and stopped just before her lips.

"Can I?" He questioned her, but she pressed her lips against him as her answer.

Her lips were much softer than he had imagined. The red paint that covered them now began to transfer over to his own lips, staining him her colour.

The sun had hidden away by this point, so the only light to brighten his room was the moonlight. Suzy pulled her hands down his chest, her fingers catching on the buttons. Arin's fingers joined hers in prying the constricting fasteners off. He shrugged off the fabric and made quick use of his trousers. He was about to undo the buttons of his undergarment when he noticed that the woman hadn't moved.

"Are you alright?" He questioned, one of his hands coming to rest of her shoulder.

"Yes." She told him, her eyes following up and down his body. They followed the curve of his torso and the lines of his legs. She brought her eyes back up to his and smiled.

"I'm Arin, by the way." He kept his hand where it was. "I don't really feel comfortable continuing with you knowing my name."

She looked at him, her brow ever so slightly furrowed, before it relaxed. "Suzy. My name is Suzy."

"Well, Suzy," He added his other hand to her free shoulder, and used both of them to push be straps of her dress down. The fabric fell to the ground in a puddle around her, leaving her just in her own chemise. "Shall we continue?"

Suzy moved her eyes - they had scanned enough of him, and moved them up to his eyes. Soft, brown orbs with obvious lust, wanting nothing more than to run and claim her. But he stood back, allowed her to make the decision. She could say no, and was confident that he would follow through with her command.

"Yes."

Their remaining clothes soon also became puddles on the ground, creating an ocean of passion in Arin's small bedroom. When noises began to erupt from their lungs Arin counted himself lucky that he didn't have many neighbours. After a while Suzy began to grip the blanket for stability, needing something to hold on to. The bed creaked but held up and their finishes broke through but they carried until the end.

But when all was done, Suzy was still in a home that did not belong to her. She began to pull her chemise back on.

"Wait." Arin called. "Could you..stay? With me, I mean. I'll pay you for all the time." He was fiddling with the loose strands on the comforter.

Suzy blinked. She looked at her clothes on the floor and back at the man - back at Arin.

"No," She said, before quickly adding, "it'll be free."

She pulled up the free side of his bed and slid back in. Her arms began to wrap around his middle, working their way past his back. She closed her eyes and drifted away, still remaining close.

***

"Barry."

It was the morning, and the sunlight strewing through the window had awoken Barry. He had found himself tangled in Ross's but had managed to free himself and tiptoed his way down the stairs so not to disturb him. Holly, as it turns out, had been waiting for him in the living room.

"Can we talk?" Her eyes had bags underneath them. She had been called in to take a later shift that day, hence why Barry had been left to take care of Ross. He walked over to her and sat down on the sofa. When he didn't say anything, she continued. "I saw you and Ross last night."

Barry would later swear that his heart stopped at that point. His eyes dipped towards the floor, but she continued again. "He is interested in you, you know." Barry's eyes caught hers. "I couldn't really be angry...because I am too."

Silence grew once again, a tension not quite describable filled the room until both swore it could be cut with a knife.

Holly added in. "I want us all to be together," Barry's eyes widened, "but I'm worried about Ross. At the border they banned homosexuals and anyone who had more than one partner. I don't want him to get deported and I doubt that you do." Barry shook his head quickly - all words seemed to have left him. "But that is of course if you return our feelings."

Barry mouth was agape with smock, but eventually he managed to push out, "Yes, I do."

Silence washed over the two as the situation in front of them made itself clear. Footsteps alerted them to the return of Ross, who was making his way downstairs, rubbing the sleep from his eye. He took one look at his girlfriend and friend talking and began to frown. "What's going on?" He walked into the room.

Holly looked from Ross to Barry and back again. She held her hand out to Ross, who took it without a second thought.

"Sit down." She told him, her voice soft but still strong. "We have a few things to figure out between us."

***

Dan had never been the best at keeping time. He always found himself waking up a little too late and getting to work just as the buzzer for the start sounded. So it was little surprise to him when the year appeared to rush away from him. Birthdays passed by, each one celebrated from the eighteenth ones for Suzy and Barry all the way to date of Brian's thirty-second year on the planet. Before he knew it, December was rearing its head in the calendar and Christmas trees were once again in the shops.

He and Brian were sat in the latter's apartment, one on either side of his sofa. Brian was in his casual shirt and trousers while Dan was still in his smarter clothes from going to the synagogue after work that day. Comfortable silence had swept over the two of them as it often did. They had begun this ritual of going to Brian's after Barry had begun to go to Ross and Holly's on a more regular basis at the beginning of the year. They had become fast friends through it. Dan had told him of his nephews back in New Jersey and Brian had recounted childhood tales of him and his sister. But mostly they just sat together with Brian reading a book and Dan the weekly newspaper.

Brian, however, broke the silence. "Danny?"

Dan smiled, Brian had taken to calling him that. "Yes?"

"Why do you stay around me?"

Danny's smile fell and was instantly replaced with a confused frown. "What? Why would you-"

"Most people leave by now. Friends don't really stay for too long. They realise I'm-" Brian took in a sharp intake of breath.

"You're what, Brian?"

"I'm...I'm defective, Danny. I'm not right." He had placed his book on the table next to him and had now placed his head into his hands.

"What do you mean?" Dan tried to move around to look in his friend's eyes but Brian had covered them with his hands. He rose his voice slightly. "Brian, listen. I don't really know what you mean, but I'm friends with you for you. Suzy is friends for you for you. Everyone is friends with you for you - all of you. Whatever has happened in the past it won't happen again. We care about you, we-"

Brian pushed himself up from the sofa so he was lent on his leg and leaned into Dan's face. His lips pressed against Dan's, his eyes slipping shut. Dan sat there, his eyes beginning to slip, before they popped back open. He pushed Brian back by his shoulders and jumped up from the sofa. They stared at each other, but all Dan could see was the hurt in his friend's eyes. His head was buzzing and the silence itself was deafening. He took a step back before bolting from the room and out the front door. The door bounced on its hinges but stayed open as the man ran down the street and away from his friend.

***

"Suzy?"

She looked up. Her head had been resting on Arin's shoulder as he held his arm around her waist. His legs were hanging off the end of her bed but she had curled herself in to him so they could both fit on.

"Yes?" She replied.

"Why'd you become a streetwalker?" If you don't mind me asking?" Arin was looking up at the ceiling, his arm still wrapped around her.

Suzy sighed and flipped back down onto the bed, her feet jumping up slightly from the light bounce. "I didn't want to."

"The why did-"

"Had to get out of where I was. Everyone in my school, town, community - they were all so toxic. So one day, I just left. Left a note for my Mom and Dad and siblings, but I haven't heard anything back, and it's been - gosh, 2 years now, so..." She shrugged. "No qualifications on me, couldn't really get a job. So I ended up on the streets, and this woman walked by. Saw me, offered me a way out." She turned back to him. "I took it."

"But wouldn't you want a different path? I mean, we've been courting for four months now. But you still have to walk the nights." His hand was now over hers, holding on tight.

"Of course I would. Don't you think I want only you, Arin? But no one would hire me, not with nothing to show."

"What if I told you I could get you a job?" The corners of Arin's mouth were sliding upwards.

"What?" Suzy sat up, both of her hands grasping tightly into his.

"The radio secretary quit - wants more time with her children. So I started to tell the boss about you, how smart you are and how hard you work. He told me that if you were interested-"

He toppled back as Suzy flung herself at him, a bright laugh jumping out of her lungs. She slammed their lips together. Teeth clashed and at least one tongue was nipped but neither cared.

"I love you." She whispered quietly into the air. She seemed as surprised to hear herself say it as Arin was.

"I love you too." He confirmed. He kissed her cheek. "I love you so much."

"Really?"

"Yes. I will always love you Suzy, as long as you stay with me."

"Of course."

***

Barry had barely gotten back to the apartment block and was trying to enjoy a cigarette when he spotted a mass of curls running up the pavement. He stared at the figure, before dropping his smoking stick on the floor and holding his hands out to stop the person.

"Dan!" He called, his hands clasping around his friend's shoulders. "Dan, what's wrong?"

"Brian, he..." Dan huffed out from his exhausted lungs.

"What happened? Is Brian okay?"

"He kissed me!"

Silence swept through the almost empty street. No one else was anywhere near the two of them. 

Barry's grip loosened as he whispered, "What?"

"He just came up and kissed me! I didn't even, I didn't know what to do! I just ran. He's a guy and guys can't-I mean. You know what I mean, right Barry?" Dan's face flushed with him being out of breath. When he received no reply, he pulled one of his arms free and tapped the younger man on the shoulder. "Barry?"

"Dan, I don't know much about love -  I'm eighteen. But I do know that sometimes things are different from normal, but that doesn't make it wrong." His eyes were locked on the floor, counting each individual stone in the pavement.

"What are you talking about?" Dan moved Barry's chin so he had to look at him. Looking at him now he looked so much younger, much more like the child that left high school a year early to help support his family.

"Dan...I'm courting Holly." He closed his eyes.

Dan's own widened. "What...? But Ross-"

"Is also courting me. And I'm courting him. We're...we're all together."

"But how?"

"I don't know. Maybe guys aren't supposed to be together, and maybe more than two people aren't supposed to be in a relationship, but we are. And I'm happy, Dan. We're all happy and I haven't seen Ross smile like he does now in so long." His eyes opened, his green orbs holding the strength and weight that an eighteen-year-old should never have had to find. "Maybe it's all wrong, but then why does it feel right?"

"Barry..."

"Talk to Brian. Figure things out. Maybe you court each other, maybe you don't, but you'll be happier - I guarantee."

***

For not the first time in his life, Dan cursed the fact that Brian's apartment was so far away from his. It hasn't seemed too far when he had been running, but now that his heart weighed him down it seemed to be taking double the time. The rain began to pour down, soon soaking his white shirt, but he found now extra energy to move any faster than the walk he was in.

As he walked he passed multiple alleyways, with several different people in them. A couple homeless people looked up at him as he carried on by, and he defiantly spotted at least one drunk person - despite the fact that it wasn't even eight o'clock yet.

One person, however, made him stand still.

" _Really Wecht_ , all that time on the front line and you don't fight back?" The words were dripping with hate, forming a puddle in Dan's head. He edged closer to the sound, his heart almost breaking out of his chest.

"Thought those doctors were meant to fix you. Fucking job they did, you're still just a faggot - aren't you?"

The voice had a thick New York accent, as if they'd never spent a day of their life outside the state. The sickening sound of bone breaking echoed around the corner and through Dan's ears, ringing until it deafened him - only a cry that sounded too familiar getting through to him.

He moved closer to the alleyway and peered around the corner. The man was tall, maybe an inch taller than Dan, with black hair combed nearly backwards. His shirt looked dishevelled and his shoes defiantly had some drops of red on them. Dan forced the bile back down his throat.

"I've read what happens in those places to fags like you. The shocks should have gotten to you; the medicine should have gotten to you - but here you are." Even in the winter darkness Dan could make out his growing smirk. "Guess if you want something done right," Silver glinted as it was pulled from his pocket, "you've got to do it yourself."

" ** _No!_** " Dan was originally startled by the voice, that is until he realised it was him. His feet propelled him forward as he rushed into the man, throwing his weight into his torso. The gun fell to the ground, landing near Brian's body. Dan pushed himself up and grabbed the weapon, turning it to face the would-be attacker.

"Fucking dewdropper, the hell are you-" The man, grabbing his head, turned to face Dan. His words died off as he faced the barrel of his own gun.

"Leave." Dan had never heard his voice so low before, but the man was quick to take his advice and quickly jumped to his feet and ran out into the street.

Dan crouched down to face his friend. Brian's face was bruised and swollen, his nose gushing blood. His arm was red in several places, with one cut in particular scaring Dan due to the amount of blood coming out. His eyes opened and closed at seemingly random points, and his mouth moved but no words managed to come out. Dan placard his hands on his friend's face, his mouth agape. He looked up as he heard footsteps, ready to defend Brian again, but was thankful that it was just a passer-by.

"Hey!" He called out. "Hey, you!" The stranger looked at him, their eyes widening at the scene before them. "My friend is hurt, go to a store and see if they have a telephone. Call the hospital!" The stranger nodded in reply and took off quickly.

Dan looked back down at Brian, his hands gripping his face tighter - the gun forgotten, strewn at his feet, with only thoughts of what could have been.

***

**1921**

"Come on, just a few more steps." Dan grasped onto Brian's shoulder, careful to stay clear of the bandage so not to cause him any more pain than what was necessary. His friend grunted in reply and forced his leg in front of the other once more before unceremoniously flopping down onto his couch, his hands coming up to drag over his face. Dan stood awkwardly to the side, shifting from foot to foot.

"Umm..." Brian's hands fell from his face, revealing a cold stare in Danny's direction. He swallowed once, hoping it wasn't too audible. "Would you like some tea? Coffee?"

Brian stared at him for a few more moments before making a dismissive hand gesture, his eyes instead glancing over to the wall of his apartment. Dan sighed lightly before he walked into the kitchen, grabbing one of the various boxes of tea lining the back of the counter and going to work to create his friend a drink.

It had been little over a month since the attack, that that day marked the first that Brian was allowed out of the hospital. A broken nose, fractured cheek bone and two cracked ribs had been enough to keep him under medical observation for quite a while, especially with the numerous gashes along his arms and nicked artery. The doctors hadn't been optimistic for the first week, telling Dan to be prepared for the worst. But that week passed, as did the next, and Brian got better. Day after day boned mended and stitches held, and the doctors’ worries turned to questions that neither man dared answer. If they revealed the true nature behind Brian's attack, they risked him being sent to another medical facility to be 'fixed'. All Dan knew about the last one was from what he overheard on that night but it was enough to make him do anything to keep his friend out of harm’s way.

The steaming of the water brought Dan out of his thoughts, and his finished off the final touches on his friend's drink.

Brian was still sat in the same position as before, the wall still captivating his interest until the hot drink was held in front of him. He glanced from the cup, up to Dan's face, and back down before nodding once in what Dan could assume was thanks. His arm reached out to grab the cup but as soon as his hand grasped it and Dan let go, his wrist gave out and the drink splashed all over his lap.

"Fuck!" He jumped back in a small attempt to get the hot liquid off of him.

Dan quickly pulled his jumper off and began to dab at the spillage, apologies tumbling out of his mouth. He stilled, however, as he noticed that his friend wasn't moving to help, or at all for that matter. Instead he simply sat still, his hands balled up at his sides. "Brian?"

"I'm sick of it Dan."

Dan sat down next to him, his jumper forgotten on the floor. "Sick of what?" His voice was soft and patient.

"Not having a decision in anything." At his friend's perplexed expression, he elaborated, once again turning to stare at the wall. "I never got a choice on whether I would go to war or not. Never got a choice in whether u would kill."

"You're not alone in-"

"Don't." Brian still refused to look at him. "Let me finish. I didn't a choice to been born like," He gestured to himself in a rapid motion, "this. I didn't a choice in being kicked out the army and I didn't get a choice in being a miner - no one else would hire me. I didn't a choice to be shocked and drugged and fucking tortured so I could be cured. And I didn't get a choice to fucking become infatuated with you!"

"Brian-"

"You know how I met Suzy? Have her a few clams in hope that I night with her would make me normal. But it didn't work - nothing works! And now you'll leave and I'll have to move again because I mess everything up as soon as it's hotsy-totsy-

"Brian." Dan grabbed his shoulders and turned him forcibly so they were facing each other. He looked him in the eyes, his gaze unwavering. "It's true, you didn't get a choice in that. But you get one now."

"What do you-"

"Because what if I want to try this. Courting each other. Whatever this," He waved a hand between them, "is. Who gets to decide that?"

The silence resonated in Brian's small apartment. Both men stared at each other, fear meeting determination.

"Don't play with me Dan." Brian begged, his voice soft in a stark difference to his anger from before.

"I'm not. This may- it may not be normal. But that doesn't make it wrong, or mean that we can't at least try. Maybe everything's jake, maybe we give up. But I know that I want to try." Slowly, attempting to quell the shakes, he raised his hand placed it tenderly on Brian's cheek. "May I?"

If he hadn't been scanning his face for every feature, Dan may have very well missed the slight nod. The kiss was light and soft. Different to the rapid passion of the first, this one was slow, as if neither man knew quite what to do. Dan's hand stayed firmly on the other man's face, with his other sliding down Brian's arm.

"Ow!" The man in question jumped back as the hand brushed against the bandage.

"Jeez Bri, are you alright?" Dan expression instantly turned to concern, his hand flying back.

"I'm fine, let’s just-" Brian tried to lean back in.

Dan placed a hand on his check, mindful for any other injuries. "As much as I would enjoy that, I want to make sure you're actually all berries and not just saying a that."

"Bluenose." The other replied softly, but there was no malice in his words. He simply sat there and smiled and he was checked and fussed over, content with staying like that for a while.

***

Barry hummed quietly as he wondered around the house awaiting the return of his lovers. The factory had been given a half day for a random inspection so he and Dan had returned to their own apartments, and then left for their respective partner's own homes. The older man had come to his door a week prior, thanking him for his advice all those weeks ago. No details had been shared, but both men were happy for the other's happiness and that was easily conveyed between them.

The door opened, revealing Holly and Ross - both exhausted from their long day. Barry smiled and walked up to them, hugging both at the same time with his smile widening as he felt both lean into his embrace. He pulled back and led them through to the kitchen, where a cup of coffee and a cup of tea sat on the table waiting. Ross instantly let out a small noise of delight, kissed Barry on the cheek and rushed over to pick up the former drink. Holly simply rolled her eyes with a smile, kissed Barry on his other cheek and took a sip of her tea. The two then caught gaze and their smiles depleted.

"Barry," Holly began, "can we sit? Ross and I," She glanced over at her other boyfriend, "we need to talk to you about something."

Barry's heart seemingly plummeted to the point where if he looked down he would swear that he could see it at his feet. He slowly sank into the chair. "I get it; this whole thing was a gamble to begin with. I understand that you folks don't want an intruder-"

"What on earth are you talking about?" Ross had both eyebrows raised and instantly sat across from the other man, grabbing his hand from across the table. "Barry, we love you. We wouldn't have done this for a year now if we didn't want to continue. I'm afraid you're kind of stuck with us mate."

That drew a smile out of him, which only grew as Holly dragged her own chair next to him and sat there, her head resting on his shoulder.

"In fact," She continued, "the fact that we don't want you to go anywhere is why we need to talk. We all know that this," She waved a hand between the three of them, "arrangement of ours is dangerous for Ross. If immigration come back and find us all together, he'll be deported for sure."

"It'd be worth it." The Aussie stated, his voice strong.

Barry turned his hand over, grasping Ross's tighter. "Not to us. We're not complete without you."

Holly placed her own on top. "We're not complete without any of us. Which is why Ross and I were talking." She raised her head so that she was looking Barry in the eye. "We were wondering if you would be alright with us getting married."

"It would only be in a legal sense." Ross assured. "If there were a way for all of us to be married to one-another, we'd do it in a heartbeat."

Barry blinked, his gaze shifting over to the cabinets behind the other man. Of course he would say yes - what kind of person would he be if he didn't. But he knew how this would work. They would get married and become closer to each other, leaving Barry alone once more. Until then he would treasure every moment - he knew that.

"Barry?"

He turned do Holly. "Yes, of course I'm okay with it. We need to do what we need to do to stay together, right?"

"Thank you." Ross engulfed him in his embrace, burrowing his face into Barry's neck. "Thank you, thank you!" He leant back and quickly slow a kiss, small and chaste, but still with the ability to knock all the breath out of him. No matter how much he had kissed the other two, it still scared him how much they affected him.

_'I'm falling in love, aren't I. Great timing.'_

"But just because we're putting in manacles, it doesn't mean that you get pushed out." His head instantly turned to Holly, what could only be fear and shock in his eyes. "Gosh no, Barry."

"In fact," He turned to Ross, who had a small smirk etched on his face, "we figured that just because we can't all marry with the law, that doesn't mean that we can't marry within ourselves." He reached into the pocket of his trousers. "That's why we were wondering if you wanted this?"

Barry gaped at the gold band as if it may swallow him entirely if given the chance.

"We told you Barry." Holly's head was back on his shoulder. "We don't want to go. No matter what."

***

It looked like a picture-perfect celebration. A couple at the courthouse to show how much they loved one another with their friends at their side. Of course, any old outsider wouldn’t know the details. They wouldn’t know that the bride’s dress wouldn’t exist if it weren’t for the black haired ex-streetwalker, and that she wouldn’t have been able to get the material to make it if not for her boyfriend getting her a job. They wouldn’t notice how she held herself taller and spoke clearer.

They wouldn’t know that the groom’s tux was paid for by all four men throwing their spare income together for two months solid. They wouldn’t smile at how no hands shook throughout the ceremony, wouldn’t know how far people had come for that to happen.

They wouldn’t notice that two of the men were standing together, their hands in their pockets but as close as they could get otherwise. They wouldn't notice their hands brushing through their trousers - their own hand holding. They wouldn’t know what happened behind closed doors with the two, how they savoured every moment as if it would be their last.

They wouldn’t notice the bride and groom sneaking glances at another man, and they wouldn’t notice that man twirling a gold band around his left ring finger – a smile on his face that they all doubted would leave for the rest of the day, if at all.

No, it's the intricate details that makes up a relationship and forms a family, and no outsider would understand these details. But that was okay, none of them minded. They were their own people with their own feelings and all. The details were all they had, so they would keep them close.

“You may kiss the bride.”

Applause filled the air and claps arose from the small audience and the couple shared a kiss. The details were all they needed.

**Author's Note:**

> Like this? Check me out on Tumblr - @TheNaturalOblivion. I take prompts and requests!


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